Friday, February 10, 2012

P.J. Hairston, the North Carolina freshman guard who has averaged 6.6 points per game, will sit out the Tar Heels’ college basketball game against Virginia on Saturday because of a sore left foot, according to a statement UNC released on Friday.

Hairston played 10 minutes and did not score in UNC’s 85-84 loss against Duke on Wednesday night. Hairston, who is wearing a protective boot on his left foot, will not practice today.

During the early part of the season, Hairston was UNC’s most reliable 3-point shooter. But he has been mired in a shooting slump since the start of ACC play last month. He has made just 6 of his 34 3-point attempts since the start of conference play.

The absence of Hairston makes UNC’s already-thin bench even thinner. Only one other reserve, fellow freshman James Michael McAdoo, is averaging more than five minutes of playing time per game. McAdoo and Hairston have both averaged about 13 minutes of playing time.

Hairston is UNC’s third guard who will miss a game this season because of injury. Dexter Strickland, a junior, started UNC’s first 19 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury in a victory against Virginia Tech on Jan. 19. Junior guard Leslie McDonald, meanwhile, is sitting out the season while he recovers from a knee injury.

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About this blog

David Scott has been with the Observer for 28 years and has written about ACC, SEC and other college sports in the Charlotte region. He covers Wake Forest, South Carolina and college soccer for the Observer and (Raleigh) News & Observer.

J.P. Giglio covers the ACC for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1997, and the Observer.

Andrew Carter covers the North Carolina Tar Heels for the Observer and News & Observer.

Laura Keeley covers the Duke Blue Devils for the Observer and News & Observer. Follow her on Twitter.

Chip Alexander covers the Carolina Hurricanes and college football for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1979, and the Observer.

Luke DeCock has worked for The News & Observer since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist for the Observer and News & Observer in August 2008.

Tim Crothers is an author and former senior writer at Sports Illustrated who is joining the sports staff to write a regular column during the rest of the college basketball season.